Mauritius is making significant changes to its gambling regulations, with a sweeping reform introduced in the 2026/27 budget. The budget eliminates the hotel casino licensing category entirely and broadens the regulations regarding digital gaming, which was first established in 2025. As part of the new framework, limited payout machine operators will also be allowed to participate in the digital games regime. Furthermore, every casino and Gaming House server must now connect to the Mauritius Revenue Authority's Central Electronic Monitoring System (CEMS), enhancing state fiscal oversight on the casino floor.
This marks a crucial restructuring of the island’s gambling framework, particularly since the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act was consolidated back in 2007.
In a discussion about the Finance Bill, delayed by three weeks, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam emphasized that all betting terminals need to be registered with the Director General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority, now including casinos and Gaming Houses in this requirement. This move follows prior governmental attempts to bolster confidence in the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).
During the last major reform debate on July 4, 2025, Ramgoolam assured members of parliament that the government is committed to restoring public trust in the GRA, especially regarding its oversight of horse racing. He asserted that the GRA would function as a dependable regulator within the gaming and betting landscape.
The upcoming parliamentary review of the gambling reforms will commence once the Finance Bill is introduced in the National Assembly. On July 3, 2026, the Cabinet confirmed the establishment of an economic committee, led by the prime minister, which is tasked with finalizing the legislation and held its first meeting on July 8.
In his budget presentation on June 19, Ramgoolam did not specifically address gambling during his speech; however, the details are outlined in Section 44 of the budget annex, which comprises over two dozen amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act. This annex mandates the removal of terms like “hotel casino,” “hotel casino games,” and others, indicating that these activities are no longer authorized. Consequently, the prior framework allowing hotels to operate casinos under specialized licenses will be dismissed. Hotels will now be required to obtain a standard casino license if they wish to run casino operations under the new regulations.
The budget also expands the existing digital gaming scheme rather than reconstructing it. According to the amendments, a third category including limited payout machine operators will be permitted, and a statutory definition of “digital games” will be introduced to the Act for the first time. Additionally, all game platforms must receive certification from an independent gaming laboratory prior to launch.
A pivotal aspect of the reform is the extension of the Central Electronic Monitoring System managed by the Mauritius Revenue Authority. This requires all betting operators’ servers and terminals to be linked to the GRA’s server while additionally mandating casino and Gaming House servers to connect to the MRA’s CEMS directly. A new Responsible Gambling and Communications Division and a Finance and Procurement Division have also been established within the GRA.
Bookmakers will now be allowed to operate five betting terminals within authorized locations, an increase from three, with one designated solely for payouts. Furthermore, horse racing betting tax calculations will now be based on net stakes after winnings rather than on gross stakes.
This set of reforms builds on the Anti-Money Laundering, Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which was approved by the Assembly in April 2026. During a session on March 31, Financial Services Minister Jyoti Jeetun explained that amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, Income Tax Act, and Mauritius Revenue Authority Act would require detailed beneficial ownership disclosures from license applicants, establish cash transaction limits, and enhance investigative powers for tax compliance, all with specific safeguards in place.
Once the legislative process is complete for both the Finance Bill and the Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026, Mauritius will significantly elevate its regulatory supervision of the gambling industry through improved fiscal oversight, refined licensing standards, and stricter compliance mandates. Earlier this year, reports indicated regulatory issues within the horse racing sector concerning oversight by the newly formed Horse Racing Integrity Division, although the regulator contested these claims.
